Attack
by corneroffandom
Summary: After getting sent home, Gargano struggles to watch NXT. (Set in 2016)


Johnny isn't cleared after losing round 2 of the CWC and to the Revival in Brooklyn. Makes the whole thing seem even more pointless. That he had risked his partnership with Tommaso for... for what, to choke in the second week? To lay himself up with a leg injury that's more annoying than painful, because it keeps him from doing what he loves, soaking up the crowd's response to him, side by side with Tommaso as they make moves, step by slow step, to the NXT tag titles. He sighs, rubs angrily at his knee and lays down, unable to watch the TV.

He does twitch a little when he hears an interview with Tommaso backstage, staring at the ceiling with a grimace as Tommaso speaks about whatever and whoever's on his mind... just for his voice to die away in a strangled yell, Johnny sitting up quickly enough that he feels dizzy, staring at the TV in disbelief as the Revival attack Ciampa, throwing him around backstage all the way to the ring, where they lay him out brutally, referees not enough to stop them. "No," he grunts, biting his knuckle as he forces himself to watch, hating himself even more for being too hurt to be there to assist Tommaso.

Finally it ends and Johnny almost falls off of the couch as he scrambles for his phone. He's tempted to go for the keys and drive to Fullsail, but he knows he can't drive with his knee like this. He takes a few moments to go through the few numbers he has in his phone before finally finding someone he thinks he trusts, dialing Dillinger. "Are you still at the university?" he asks as soon as Tye answers cheerfully.

"Yes," he says slowly, taken back by Johnny's tone. "Do you need me to check on Tommaso?" 

"Yes!" Johnny gasps out, relieved that Tye knows without him having to spell it out. He listens, tugging at the knee brace anxiously, at the sounds of Tye walking through the halls, talking to a couple of people here and there. Johnny thinks he's about to explode with impatience when he hears a familar voice- Tommaso's. He equally sags and listens more intently, trying to hear through the static.

"Tell him it's nothing serious, I'll be home in a few minutes," Tommaso says, growls, clearly in pain. "And no, Johnny, I'm not driving myself! Tye's giving me a ride, aren't ya?" Johnny can hear his smirk through the pain and annoyance and that more than anything comforts him.

"I guess I'm driving him home," Tye says, sounding bemused as he puts the phone back up to his ear to talk to Johnny. "We'll see you soon, Johnny."

"See you soon," he echoes, reluctantly pressing the end button. Now he has nothing to do but wait, he can't even pace because of his leg. He drops back against the couch and groans, trying to wash the memories of his partner alone in the ring, vulnerable to an attack of that magnitude, because of him, and grunts, digging his knuckles into his eyesockets.

He sits up again when he hears car doors slam outside and watches as Tye helps Tommaso inside, to the couch. He seems... better than Johnny expected, even shrugs off Tye's helpful hands, straightens up under Johnny's watchful gaze, but it's clear by how pale he is that he's in pain, his arm wrapped around his ribs. "They think bruised," he explains, seeing that there's no way to ignore Johnny's searching gaze. "I'm gonna be fine."

"Sit down," Johnny orders him when his steps falter. Tommaso rolls his eyes but eventually takes a seat next to Johnny, sitting very still while Johnny lightly prods his side, tensing when Tommaso's breathing sharpens. "Sorry, sorry. Hey, Tye, before you go? Could you get Tommaso an ice pack?"

"I just iced up back at the trainer's," he grouses.

"Ice up again," Johnny says, rubbing a hand over where he'd touched him earlier, trying to ease away whatever pain he'd caused. "Come on, Tommaso. It had to have been over half an hour since you last did. Humor me?"

"Fine," he grits his teeth. "Because you asked so nicely."

Johnny smiles sadly at him and reaches out as soon as Tye returns, helping to apply the ice pack to Tommaso's side.

"I have it, you know," he grouses.

"Oh I know," Johnny says with a small smile, not moving his hand away. "Thanks for getting this one home, Tye. I think we're good now."

"Alright." Tye eyes them for a minute. "Take good care of each other, guys."

"Always do," Ciampa says at the same time Johnny does, Tye rolling his eyes at them before taking his leave of them. "Up here," Tommaso says, slapping his thigh. Johnny gives him a strange look and he huffs at him. "Trainer said you're supposed to elevate your leg. Don't give me that look. Get up here."

Johnny huffs. Finally lifts up, resting his leg above where Tommaso's hand had indicated, leaning back and closing his eyes. He's still pressing the ice pack to Tommaso's ribcage, but this is nice, sitting here with his partner and finally able to relax since he'd left earlier that afternoon. "I told you you should've waited until I was cleared to have your back," he mumbles.

"Since when do I listen?" Tommaso asks with a faint smirk, resting his hand on Johnny's leg and lightly massaging the tense muscles leading towards his knee. "How does this feel?"

"Sleepy," he breathes out, eyes fluttering as he struggles to stay awake.

"Not what I was going for, but alright," Ciampa says, shifting Johnny's hand away from the ice pack. He's not surpried to see Johnny completely fall asleep as soon as he's not touching the cold item. Tommaso sighs and adjusts the ice pack so it won't fall off too easily even without someone holding it in place, adjusts his position and continues to massage Johnny's leg in slow, even strokes until he too drifts off.


End file.
